Shell to add HDS plant to Geelong refinery

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, July 16 -- Shell Refining (Australia) Pty. Ltd., a unit of Royal Dutch/Shell Group, let a $90 million (Aus.) lump-sum turnkey contract to CBI Constructors Pty. Ltd., a unit of Chicago Bridge & Iron Co NV, the Netherlands, to engineer and build a new hydrodesulfurization plant at Shell's. refinery at Geelong, Victoria. The new plant, called HDS 2, will have a capacity of 6,000 tonnes/day.

Under the contract, CBI will be responsible for the plant's engineering, procurement, construction, and precommissioning. Work on the project, which began last month, is expected to reach completion in September 2003.

The new plant will produce ultralow-sulfur diesel to meet Australia's new clean fuels specifications that will come into effect in January 2006.